Are You Ready for Some Little League Baseball?- Fernando to Throw First Pitch Tomorrow in San Bernardino

It's almost that time of year when the Baseball loving children of the world get together for the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, PA.  The tournament officially gets started next week, but in the meantime there are regional tournaments still remaining to decide who will represent their area.

Tomorrow afternoon is one of those games, and the Dodgers own Fernando Valenzuela will be on-hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Northwest Championship Game in San Bernardino. 

The Gresham, Oregon Little League team will play against the kids from Post Falls, Idaho Little League at 1:00 PM.  Fernando is expected to throw out the first pitch at about 12:50 PM. The game will be held at the Little League Western Region Headquarters.

Little League Western Region Headquarters
6707 Little League Dr.
San Bernardino, CA 92407

If you have a chance to get out there be sure to root for all of the kids.  No doubt this is a huge stage for them, so fan support will surely brings smiles to their faces.

For info on the tournament go to the Little League World Series website, here.  Also, the Press-Enterprise has a great series of photographs from the Northwest Regional Tournament from San Bernardino to look through, here.

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Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 8/10/2012

This photo is just plain awesome.  Hey Dusty Baker!  I want that suit.  The photo is from April 6, 1977, and it features the starting lineup for Opening Day against the Giants.  Pic via twitter @Dodgers.

• According to a Sports Illustrated poll of 350 Major Leaguers Matt Kemp has the 11th most dangerous outfield arm.
• Per Mark Saxon at the ESPN Dodgers Report, "Victorino Bugs People and Doesn't Care."

“I want to win. I don’t care if I’m your best friend or not,” Victorino said. “Sometimes in this era, the way the game’s played is more relaxed. If you still play the old-school way, running the bases hard, hustling, taking extra bases, grinding out at-bats, you kind of stand out. I have always said I will never change that. I was taught as a kid to play that way.” 

• Howard Cole shares a 50 year old Dodgers scrapbook.
• On the Tuesday, September 4th home game against the Padres the Dodgers will be giving out 30,000 Matt Kemp replica jerseys.  Take a look at it below.

• Dodger Bobble was at the MVP Sports Foundation's 4th annual All-Star Auction and Dodger Reunion this past weekend and got a bunch of autographs.
• Dodgers Nation takes a look at Dodgers prospect Yasiel Puig.
• Sports Collectors Daily speaks with ToppsVault curator Mike Jasperson.
• This video is just a treat.  Here is a fan made 8mm film from Dodger Stadium of a World Series Game against the Twins in 1965.  There is no sounds, but the scenery had me in awe.  I am always constantly amazed at what fans wore to ballgames back then.

Video Link:

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eBay: A Couple of Barney Stein Photos

As many fans noticed the other day, Dodgers photographer Jon SooHoo shared a great photo he had taken of Vin Scully with Sandy Koufax in the press box.  In his post he referenced another great Dodger photographer from their days in Brooklyn, Barney Stein.  He said,

"Now I really feel like Barney Stein."

So, being an astute Dodger fan and memorabilia hound that I am, I had to search out a couple of Stein photographs to share here.  On a side note, I think Jon's statement above has to do with his staging of the photograph.  Barney Stein was known to have a gift for getting folks to pose as he wished, in funny and dramatic ways.

Featured in this post are two Barney Stein originals that I found on eBay.  Above and below (it's the reverse of the above photo) is a June 23, 1942 photograph of former Dodger Herman Franks.  He is sporting a rather dapper naval uniform, as he had recently joined the service during World War II in the middle of his Baseball career.  Stein writes on the reverse:

"Here's a shot I made of Herman Franks, ex Dodgers, now an ensign stationed at Pensacola.  Made it one of the twilight games last week."

(eBay Auction Link)

Below is a 1937 Barney Stein photograph of Heinie Manush.  Heinie would play just two seasons in Brooklyn during his Hall of Fame career.  A notable aspect of this photo is that it was likely taken just after Stein was hired as the Dodgers official photographer.

As the story goes, Barney who was already working for the Brooklyn Times Union had a chance meeting with Dearie McKeever Mulvey (daughter of one of the Dodgers' owners) and was asked to photograph her.  Following this encounter Stein would soon be hired on with the Dodgers in the Spring of 1937.  So, the below photo is one of his first as a Dodgers employee.

BTW, there is a Barney Stein website.  Go here to check it out.

(eBay Auction Link)

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Collection: 1969 Man on the Moon Topps Set

With all of the hoopla and excitement earlier this week focused on NASA's rover Curiosity's landing on Mars, I thought it would be a good time to delve into my collection and share a pertinent vintage non-sports card set.

Below are scans of my 1969 Topps "Man on the Moon" 55 card set.  The set features several Apollo flights to the moon.  Also, above is a unopened pack that I had graded through GAI, and an original box (not shown) that I received when I purchased a large lot of these cards several years ago.  In that lot I was able to build 2- 55 cards sets, and had a bunch of extras on the side.  Furthermore, I recall my purchase was a steal.  My recollection is that I paid no more than $100.00 for the group, and I know for a fact that I still have that extra set somewhere in one of my boxes.  I'm gonna have to pull that out so I can consider selling it. I think now is a pretty good time.

Click on any pic to embiggen.

BTW, if you haven't noticed, on the right in the sidebar to this blog there is a picture I found of the rover Curiosity.  It's how I imagine the Martians might feel once they find out that American-Earthlings have landed, and I found it so funny I had to put it up.  And if you click on the pic it will take you to the NASA website. 

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Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 8/9/2012

Apparently, Sandy Koufax was at yesterdays game.  Pic via Jon SooHoo/ Dodgers 2012.  Jon writes,

Thank you Sandy for allowing me to take you from the clubhouse up to the press box for this photo. Thank you Vin for allowing me to interrupt your pre-game ritual to take this photo. All of your fans in blue truly appreciate it. Now I really feel like Barney Stein.

• Left Field Pavilion wonders where is the Think Blue sign.
• Al Yellon at SB Nation speculates that a Dodgers' TV rights deal could be worth as much as $8Billion.  $8 Billion!!!
• I'm not sure if this is a good thing.  Per Gaslamp Ball, Tiger Woods is a Dodgers fan.

"Absolutely," Tiger Woods said when asked if he’d be interested in owning one of his favorite teams. "I just need a lot more money. My teams are the Lakers, Dodgers, and the Raiders, so I’ve got to play really well."

• Alex Angert of MLB.com writes about Matt Treanor's joy at seeing his wife win her third gold medal.

"I'm not afraid to cry," said Treanor. "I'm not afraid to snap a bat over my neck or whatever it is. That's the way I am. That is the way I'm built. Being Irish-Italian doesn't always help, either."

• Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts writes for CityThink at LA Magazine, "When Mike Trout Surpasses Matt Kemp."

At the start of the season, there's no one in baseball I would have traded Matt Kemp for. But now, I would exchange him straight up for Mike Trout, the superb fielder, baserunner and hitter who just turned 21. Not that the Angels are offering.

• Former Dodger Rick Auerbach is True Blue.  As seen on Reddit via StickyStanceMikey we find out what he thought it was like playing with Johnny Bench when he was on the Reds.  

• The Baseball Continuum takes a look at the other sports that Baseball has spawned.
• Have you ever wondered what a formal warning from MLB looks like for taking too long on the mound?  Baseball Prospectus has a copy of a letter sent by Joe Garagiola Jr. (a Senior VP) to Rockies Pitcher Mike Eckstrom.
• If Charlie Parker Was a Gunslinger... puts up a great photo of a 1955 women's Japanese softball team.
• Best cake ever!  Via Puck Daddy.  It was made for Kings goalie Jonathan Quick to help him celebrate his day with the Cup.

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Encore Screening - BLUETOPIA: The LA Dodgers Movie

If you haven't seen BLUETOPIA: The LA Dodgers Movie yet, and want to enjoy it within a setting surrounded by Baseball then you should check out this encore screening of the movie at the Craft and Folk Art Museum on Wilshire.  Go here for details.

Thursday, August 16 | 7:00pm

Free with museum admission. In celebration of the Dodgers’ 50th year in Los Angeles, Bluetopia traces the lives of devoted Dodger fans throughout the 2008 season. Demonstrating how fans of diverse backgrounds can unite in their reverence of the team; this film is as much about love as it is about baseball. Producer/Director Timothy Marx will introduce the film and take questions after the screening.

Film has a running time of 88 minutes. RSVP requested to rsvp@cafam.org

Craft and Folk Art Museum
5814 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 937-4230

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Also of note, there is another Baseball event at the Craft and Folk Art Museum this evening that looks interesting.  Tonight, August 9th at 7:00 PM is the "Beyond Dodger Stadium: LA’s Community Leagues Panel Discussion." For more information go here.

Galleries open at 6:30pm for exhibition viewing. Free with museum admission
Along with being home to the Dodgers, Los Angeles has a long and rich tradition of neighborhood baseball leagues. Learn about the history of LA’s Latino, African American, and Japanese American leagues with panelists Tomas J. Benitez, Terry Cannon, Daryl Russell Grigsby, and Bobby Umemoto. To view full bios of the panelists click here. 

Refreshments will be served. RSVP requested to rsvp@cafam.org

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